In the electrical trades it is frequently required to expand an existing electrical box containing a plug or switch by mounting at the same location a two to four gang box for mounting additional switches, plugs or accessories such as rheostats. With the current commercially available electrical boxes, this is a costly and time consuming task. Thus single gang electrical boxes are anchored inside a mounting wall so that the open box front is flush with a mounting wall to receive a fitting and decorative cover. To expand the service at that location with addition of one or more boxes in a ganged mount, the wall must be broken away and disfigured to obtain access to the anchoring structure. Because present boxes are generally affixed to a stud behind the wall by nails or screws horizontally disposed, a significant section of the wall must be removed to be able to insert tools for removing the box and for remounting the new ganged box replacement. Also the resident box with fittings and wiring must be removed to make room for the new ganged box installation which requires the electrician to remove the wires and fittings and reconnect wiring in a new box. The wall then must be restored to receive the flush mounted ganged assembly with one to three additionally ganged boxes extending laterally from the initial box position after the ganged boxes are anchored in place and wired, including rewiring of the replaced initial box. After that the disfigured wall, often wallboard, will have to be repapered or repainted.
It is the object of this invention to improve the state of the art by introduction of a new electrical box configuration and accompanying method of replacing single gang electrical boxes with multiple gang boxes which considerably reduces cost, labor and disfigurement of walls.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be found throughout the following description, claims and accompanying drawings.